Michael Douglas once expressed his regret for claiming that his throat cancer was linked to oral sex.
In an interview in 2013, Douglas told The Guardian that his throat cancer was allegedly caused by oral sex.
The 81-year-old actor later denied making this assertion, although The Guardian backed up their report with an audio recording and written transcript of his comments.
When Douglas was questioned about whether his lifestyle choices, such as drug use, smoking, or drinking, might have contributed to his condition, he responded: “No. No. Ah, without getting too specific, this particular cancer is caused by something called HPV [human papillomavirus], which actually comes about from cunnilingus.”
He continued, “It’s a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer. And if you have it, cunnilingus is also the best cure for it.”
Medical experts quickly refuted the idea that cunnilingus could be a cure, labeling it as medically inaccurate. Douglas later expressed regrets about his comments, particularly regarding any embarrassment it may have caused his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones.
In an interview with Event Magazine, he shared, “I so regretted any embarrassment that it caused Catherine. What I was trying to say was that there is a sexually transmitted virus called HPV, but there is a vaccination that they recommend to all kids before they become sexually active so they don’t catch HPV, which is a cause of certain types of cancer – cervical cancer, tongue and throat.”
While his statement might not have been well-conceived, Douglas clarified that his intention was to raise awareness about HPV and cancer prevention.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, HPV is the most prevalent viral sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It can lead to cellular changes in the cervix, which can progress to cervical cancer.
The health organization further notes that the virus can have similar effects on throat cells.
Before being diagnosed with throat cancer, Douglas experienced oral discomfort for several months and visited various doctors in search of answers.
The breakthrough came when a doctor friend in Montreal examined him and immediately identified the problem.
Douglas recounted, “I will always remember the look on his face. He said: ‘We need a biopsy.’ There was a walnut-size tumor at the base of my tongue that no other doctor had seen.”
Initially diagnosed with stage four cancer, which is often deemed terminal, Douglas received a clean bill of health two years later and has remained in remission since then.